


Temenos

by seanchaidh



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Aliens Made Them Do It, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-01-01
Updated: 2005-01-01
Packaged: 2018-01-09 13:21:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1146475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seanchaidh/pseuds/seanchaidh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack and Daniel have to negotiate for a treaty in a very unique manner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Temenos

 

 

There were no mountains in Minnesota, and that was why Jack didn’t like them. He hated tiny little mountain paths that were made for goats, not humans, and dropped sharply off on one side of the narrow way. So why was he walking with his right side to the mountain face and his left to a valley the depth of which they didn’t have in Minnesota either?

"This treaty had better be worth it," he grumbled before yelling up at his teammate. "Daniel, are we there yet?"

One hand on the rock to keep his balance, Daniel glanced behind him. His legs were steady despite the steep incline. There was a smile on his lips that spoke of the thrill he felt at challenging the mountain, a change from the archaeologist who had a problem with heights just a few years ago. Go figure.

"We don’t have far to go," Daniel said, pitching his voice a bit louder to make it carry on the wind.

"Yeah?" Jack refused to look down, and hoped to hell the way back down would go smoothly. Skis and snow would be a good start. He decided to repeat his earlier grumble, voiced louder so Daniel's ears would catch it. "This better be worth it, Daniel!"

The mountainside wasn’t the place to discuss pros and cons, and Daniel just smiled wider in acknowledgement. They both knew it was worth it, despite the challenge they faced. This was finally a planet with naquadah deposits that wasn't under Goa’uld control, though the details about that were sketchy at best. The most Daniel said he could understand was the relative inaccessibility of the veins, and how the actual amount wasn’t substantial enough to warrant the Goa’uld wasting more effort than necessary. The locals had no use for the mineral, and they were more than happy to give the SGC access to it.

All the SGC had to do was trade a few dozen heads of sheep - a breed hardier than the local variety - and pay their respects at the town shrine. Jack had agreed at the time, way before he realized just _where_ the shrine happened to be.

It was far too late to back out, but Jack still wished he could. He was cold, and the temperature kept dropping the higher they went. The wind was beginning to pick up, and just as Jack began to shiver uncontrollably, there was suddenly a cave ahead of them. Their guide, a young man named Nessos, stopped at the mouth of the cave and gestured them in. Jack wanted to go first, but he couldn’t pass Daniel on the path. He waited for Daniel to enter the black maw, and wondered if his fingers were warm enough to reach for his flashlight.

He didn’t have to worry about it. Nessos immediately lit a torch that lay off to the side, ready for use. He held it and spoke to Daniel in the local dialect. Jack waited patiently for the translation as he rubbed his hands together. He thought his fingernails looked blue.

"Well, he says there's some kind of hermit who lives up here," Daniel began, his speech staggered as he waited to catch the gist of Nessos' words. After a silence, Daniel nodded before talking without any more stops. "Actually, it's their high priestess who lives up here all the time. She's the most holy woman in the land. People come up here when they need her to commune with the goddess of the land and sky."

"Anyone we know?" Jack asked, just in case.

"I don't think so, but Nessos hasn't mentioned a name...." Daniel quickly asked the local man a question and the answer seemed to perplex him. "Oh. Okay. Apparently there isn't a name, for either the goddess or the priestess."

"And that's weird?"

"Well, yes and no, but -"

"So, what do we do?" Jack put his hands in his armpits and stared at Daniel. He really wanted the warmth they'd had in the village in the valley below. "We get a blessing, and then we're out of here?"

"Um, no, I don’t think that’s how it works." Daniel held up a hand as Nessos began to speak again. The kid’s voice was hushed. "It sounds like this priestess is an oracle."

"Like a fortune cookie?" Jack asked.

"No."

"Ouija board?"

Daniel gave him a look. "Jack, be serious."

"Oh, but I am. I’m also cold, so can we get this over with?" Jack shivered violently for emphasis.

"Let me ask what we have to do," Daniel said, with that exaggeratedly patient tone Jack knew all too well.

"Go. Do that." Jack gestured to Nessos, who was waiting to continue. A few moments later, Daniel had the answer. Whatever it was, it made him wince. Jack didn’t like that, especially when Daniel’s gaze immediately zeroed in on his P-90. "Oh, don’t say it."

Daniel was already undoing the strap to his own holster. "No weapons."

"Yeesh." But Jack did it anyway, taking off his P-90 and then all the other paraphernalia he carried. It took a few minutes, but Jack had enough sense and experience to know the requirement probably had something to back its authority. "What else?"

"And then we can go in, just the two of us," Daniel said as he deposited everything at the side of the cave.

"Please say we get to keep our boots?" Jack didn’t relish the idea of cold feet, even in the name of naquadah. "Because if we have to take our boots off, we’re getting Teal’c up here asap and he can take _his_ off."

"No, we can keep our boots," Daniel promised.

"That’s promising," Jack groused as he put his gear next to Daniel’s. He straightened up, feeling naked, and looked at Nessos. "Now what?"

When Daniel translated the question, Nessos gestured to the opening to the next cave. From where Jack stood, it looked like a passage that descended deeper into the mountain’s interior.

"There?" Jack asked, feeling uneasy. "Is there a map in case we get lost?"

"We’ll be fine," Daniel said, and started toward the opening.

Jack strode quickly to catch up. "I should go first. Just in case."

"Um..." Daniel hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "For once you’re safe. You won’t shoot the first people you see."

"As long as they don’t give me a reason to," Jack muttered as he started in. He glanced behind to see Nessos where they’d left him by their gear. "What’s he doing? Why isn’t he coming with us?"

"Because, like I said, it’s just the two of us," Daniel said.

"And that’s because...?"

"He trusts us to tell him the truth when we get back," came the simple reply.

"Ah."

The path sloped down, just steep enough to make Jack walk carefully. The torchlight from behind quickly faded, leaving them in darkness. Jack kept one hand on the wall, using its direction to guide his steps. He could feel Daniel just behind him, near enough to feel the heat of his body. Somehow, Daniel never stepped on his heels and Jack really appreciated that.

Like the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, Jack finally saw their destination. As their passage brightened, Jack took bigger steps and emerged into a large cavern that towered above their heads. Well-kept sconces lined the far walls, casting flickering light on a platform set a few steps above the floor. A woman sat in a simple chair, her eyes closed.

"Daniel?" Jack whispered, a little leery about interrupting her. The woman looked to be about Jack’s age, with high cheekbones and a strong jaw. She wasn’t exactly beautiful, but she was definitely striking. She wore a cream-colored dress, a plainness that contrasted with the bright colors below in the village. She looked peaceful sitting there, reminding Jack of Teal’c in the middle of kel’no’reem.

Gesturing him to be quiet, Daniel stepped forward and called out a greeting in the local lingo. Jack caught their names in the midst of the sentence, and he assumed they were being introduced as peaceful explorers. There was probably something in there about why they were standing like idiots at the entrance of her cave.

The priestess cut Daniel off, her voice very soft as she spoke. She was nearly whispering, and yet Jack heard her perfectly. She opened her eyes, fixing them with a hard, dark stare.

"Oh." Daniel moved toward an alcove Jack just noticed near their entrance.

"What?" Jack asked.

"There’s incense in there that we’re supposed to put over the fires," Daniel explained, disappearing inside. "And after that, well, that’s when we’re supposed to make our request."

"Ah." Jack followed him in, finding a few bowls filled with resins and other smelly things. There appeared to be differences between the various bowls, and Jack hesitated before reaching. "Which one?"

"She didn’t say," Daniel began, hesitating. "Whatever it is, maybe we should take the same kind."

"Yeah, we wouldn’t want contrasting stinks, would we?" Jack leaned forward and sniffed the closest bowl. Whatever it was, the contents reminded him a bit of his childhood days as an altar boy. He smiled in remembrance and gestured to it, straightening up. "This one?"

"Why not?" Daniel reached in and brought his handful to his nose. "Smells like frankincense."

"That’s what it is?" Jack asked, getting his own handful. "Okay, shall we?"

Daniel nodded. "Let’s."

Together they re-emerged and headed for the nearest sconces. Jack waited for Daniel to empty his hand onto the first, and watched as a cloud of fragrant smoke rose into the air. Jack waited a second more then did the same. His gaze followed the smoke as it drifted up and mingled with the tendrils from Daniel’s offering. Just as he remembered, the smell made him a little light-headed, but it wasn’t anything that would make him sick.

Heading back to the threshold, Jack noticed the room was much warmer than the chamber where they’d left Nessos. The lingering chill from their climb melted from Jack’s bones. It felt good, and Daniel seemed to appreciate the temperature, too. They unzipped their jackets as they took their former position.

"Anything else?" Jack murmured just as Daniel was about to start talking again.

"I don’t think so." If Daniel had something else to say, it had to wait. The priestess spoke, and Daniel nodded before turning to Jack. "She says I can make our request now."

"Don’t forget to say please," Jack cautioned.

Daniel glared at him for a moment. He turned his attention back to the woman and started talking. His speech seemed slow and careful, and Jack was pretty sure Daniel was considering every word he used. The priestess listened intently, a gentle expression on her face now. When Daniel reached the end of his request, she nodded and closed her eyes. She didn’t say a word.

"Now what?" Jack whispered, watching intently.

"I have no idea." Daniel watched her for a long moment, then shrugged. "I don’t know, maybe she has to think about it."

"What would she have to think about?" Jack shot back.

"I don’t know, maybe she has to decide if we’re trustworthy or not."

"Well, we could always supply character witnesses," Jack said.

"I don’t think that’s what she has in mind... Um, what is that?" Daniel took a step forward, his eyes wide as he stared at the altar. Jack turned to look, spotting smoke that gently rose from the platform’s base and sides. The smoke twisted up, looking like solid streams of silver and gray compared to the wispy clouds from their incense. "It’s beautiful."

"Yeah." Jack had no other word as he watched. The smoke enveloped the priestess, and reached for them. A faint scent reached his nose, tickling his nostrils. It was unearthly in its rich sweetness, completely overpowering the frankincense. Jack closed his eyes, his imagination overwhelmed by great cities and palaces like the ones whose ruins Daniel loved to explore. He imagined a reality only echoed by this hidden temple, and he had no idea why.

Daniel sneezed, and the vision ended.

The priestess shifted and opened her eyes. She met Jack’s gaze, and lifted one arm toward him. She looked different, somehow older and wiser than the middle-aged woman she was. Instead of the priestess’ quiet strength, there was an imperial feeling to this woman who sat before them. It was eerie, and Jack couldn’t move away. He couldn’t lose the sight of her eyes, a solid gray.

Just like the smoke.

 _"You are here to fight the Goa’uld,"_ she said in a low, vibrant voice. The hairs on the back of Jack’s neck began to rise, and he straightened his spine. _"You, Daniel Jackson, and you, Jack O’Neill, do you intend to use our naquadah for good?"_

Jack stole a glance at Daniel, and found him wide-eyed with surprise. He also looked speechless, so Jack took up the slack. "That’s right, we intend to fight the Goa’uld, and I can’t think of anything better than that."

The woman smiled. _"That would please us greatly."_

"Who are you?" Daniel asked.

 _"We are among the many who long for the day the Goa’uld no longer roam the universe,"_ she said. _"We have heard of the Tau’ri, and we are pleased to help your efforts against the Goa’uld."_

"So we get to mine the naquadah?" Jack didn’t want to sound presumptuous, but he just wanted to be sure.

 _"In exchange for an offering,"_ she said.

"We’ve already agreed to exchange the naquadah for sheep," Daniel told her.

 _"That is for the people,"_ she replied. _"I speak about us."_

"Okay." The plural thing, the voice, the language... Jack was starting to get very creeped out. "What, more incense?"

"I think she wants something else," Daniel murmured.

"Oh, yeah?" Jack waited for the priestess to talk. "So what’ll it be?"

 _"For the action to come to pass, seed must be spilled,"_ she said.

"Sunflower?" Jack asked. "How about sesame?"

"Um... no," Daniel said, very softly.

"What, then?" Jack suddenly had the feeling he didn’t want to know. That intensified as Daniel made a gesture with his right hand that was all too suggestive, and the blush touching his cheeks was telling, too. "No."

Daniel nodded.

"Um... how about we negotiate?" Jack suggested, not liking this turn of events in the least.

 _"It is what our tradition requires, for all querents to do so together,"_ she continued.

"Together?" Jack wanted to groan, but the idea she sparked sent a sharp and very pleasant twist in his gut. Images he’d tried hard to keep buried emerged with a vengeance, and he avoided looking at Daniel. "Yeah, but..."

 _"We will not force you,"_ she told him, _"for that is not our way. If you cannot acquiesce, we have no means to believe your intentions."_

That wasn’t good enough. Jack opened his mouth to protest again when Daniel’s quiet voice drew his attention away. "Jack, it’s okay."

"What?" Jack felt testy.

"We won’t get the naquadah if we don’t agree," Daniel said, sounding all too reasonable.

"And they want us to get it _on_." Not that Jack minded, because he'd get to watch. Daniel, on other hand, would have a problem... probably.

"Where else are we going to find this much naquadah?" Daniel pressed.

"Daniel, are you _agreeing_ to this?" And that sounded appealing, it really did.

"Well, it’ll be worth it," Daniel said, and Jack realized what was going on. Daniel was trying to rationalize himself into it. "No one needs to know."

"Have you done this before?" Jack asked, sensing the answer. He couldn't imagine Daniel Jackson in a gay bath or in a circle jerk.

"No, but I’ve read about it."

Jack snorted. "Oh, that’ll make a world of good."

"What, you have?" Daniel asked, intending to be glib.

Jack stared at him, willing him to understand without having to spell it out for him.

"Oh." A thoughtful look crossed Daniel’s features. "Then that’s not too bad."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Jack demanded.

"That we’re getting our naquadah." Ignoring Jack’s sputters, Daniel stepped forward. "What would you like us to do?"

"Daniel!" Jack hissed, terrified the priestess was going to choreograph a routine for them. This was moving too fast for him.

 _"Go there,"_ the priestess said, gesturing to another room at the other side of the chamber Jack hadn’t even noticed before. _"Return when you are complete, and you will have your naquadah."_

"Would you like fries with that?" Jack muttered.

"Jack..." Daniel had the guts to chide.

"Or would she rather that we supersize?" Jack sighed at Daniel’s glare and shrugged. "Fine. Let’s go."

This was _so_ not the way he’d imagined doing Daniel Jackson in his hottest fantasies, or even his lukewarm ones. The situation had officially gone from strange to utterly bizarre, and they were making a turn directly into surreal.

"Be careful what you wish for," Jack muttered under his breath as they crossed the room.

"I’m sorry?" Daniel asked, pausing just before the threshold.

"Never mind."

The room was warmer than the main chamber, prompting Jack to take off his jacket. As he slipped it down his arms, he noticed Daniel giving him a startled look. That was the look of a man who was just realizing what he was in for, and it didn’t do anything for Jack’s mood.

"Daniel." Jack wasn’t sure if he wanted to shake him out of his shock, or reassure him that this would go well. Was there even a way to do both at once?

"I'm okay." As if to prove his words, Daniel investigated the room, not that there was much to see. The bed - or cushioned platform - was a good clue as to the room's function. There were also some explicit pictures on the wall to illuminate the purpose for the clueless. "This must be a ceremonial bedroom."

"You sure it's not the priestess' room?" Jack asked. Doing the dirty on someone else's bed was too juvenile, and more than a little disturbing.

“I’m positive. There’s a third room on the other side of the room, beside the room with incense.”

“Good, because this doesn’t need to get any kinkier than it already is.” Jack glanced at the drawings, noting the combinations - straight, gay, lesbian, and that was just the couples. How inclusive of them. “Though that in itself wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Well, on the other hand it’s nice of them to supply something soft.” Daniel gestured to the bed that looked firmer than the average military cot. The support might even be good for the back, though that probably didn’t matter. The knees would be okay. Jack noticed the bed wasn’t a trigger to weird Daniel out, nor were the pictures. The latter were probably no worse than academic texts to him.

“Yeah. Considerate.” Jack kept away from the bed and lingered near the door. He watched Daniel’s movements and forced himself *not* to admire his teammate’s assets. “You know, there are better ways to seal a deal than to have sex.”

Daniel set himself on the edge of the bed. “Well, yes, but as a practice it has historical precedents. It’s life affirming for cultures that value sexuality. Sex between consenting adults is a positive thing, and I’d imagine they’re looking for that kind of experience.”

“Yeah, consent in the form of having no other choice.” Jack sighed, knowing he’d never be convinced. “So... what’s really stopping a Goa’uld from getting all the naquadah he needs? It can’t be this priestess thing that stopped them?”

“Maybe. It sounds like the Goa’uld left before they could even mine the planet. I’d imagine they never did come up here,” Daniel mused. “I would also imagine that a Goa’uld wouldn’t lower himself to ask permission. Maybe that’s why they didn’t have any success.”

“Good point.” Jack had to get one question off his chest before he could do anything else. “So, that priestess... what was going on? Did you hear -?”

Daniel nodded. “Yeah, but that’s not what’s really weird.”

“The sex isn’t weird enough?” Jack asked.

“No.” Daniel hesitated. “Well, okay, but no, that’s not it. She was still speaking the local dialect. I heard both.”

“Whoa.” The idea boggled Jack’s mind. “And did you see that? Her entire body changed.”

“I noticed that, too, about her demeanor. It’s almost like ancient stories of oracles back in Ancient Greece, but I have no idea how she did it here.”

“It was almost like watching a Goa’uld, but not quite. More like a Tok’ra.” Jack dropped his head forward like just about every Tok’ra he’d ever met. “Except without the head thing, or the eyes.”

“Yeah, you have a point, and you know what? I don’t think I want to know.” Daniel inched forward and put on his brave face. “Let’s do this?”

“Right.” Jack considered their options. In an ideal world, he’d be going for the full meal deal. He liked sex, and he certainly hadn’t had much in a long, long time. Normally there would be romance, or something to sweep his partner off their feet. This was so far from the ideal Jack wanted to punch something. In the meantime, he needed to find the easiest way to do this for the both of them. “So, this is your first, huh?”

“Yeah.” To his credit, Daniel didn’t look freaked, just nervous. The nervousness was something Jack could definitely deal with. “Go figure.”

“No fantasies or experimentation?” Even that would’ve helped.

“Sorry.” Daniel eyed him for a very long moment. “If it helps, this culture is Grecian, so maybe we should do it a particular way.”

“What do you mean, particular?” Jack repeated, leery of the consideration Daniel was putting into his words. He searched his pockets for something he could use for lube. His fingers closed on a tube of sunscreen. He pulled it out and prompted Daniel to continue. “I can’t read your mind, Daniel. Spit it out.”

“We should do it intercrucially,” Daniel said.

“Come again?” Jack always hated the technical terms.

“Um... we do it between our thighs. A flush deepened the color in Daniel’s cheeks as he pointed at two men frozen in an intimate embrace, one man’s cock trapped between the other’s pale thighs.

Jack couldn’t help smiling. “The Princeton rub?”

“That’s how the Greeks did it,” Daniel said, rushing through his words. “It’s probably more along the line of what they’re expecting, instead of... well, our expected way.”

“Ah.” Jack toyed with the bottle, amused with Daniel’s euphemistic assumption. “Less problematic, too.”

“That’s a good thing?”

“Today? Yeah.” No condoms, a tense partner, and less than ideal circumstances for anything. Yeah, he probably wouldn’t have tried that. Jack met Daniel’s gaze and smiled bravely. “So.”

“You should be on top,” Daniel said.

“Why?” Not that Jack minded, but he was curious. He would’ve thought Daniel would want to do the deed.

“Because it’s the Greek way.”

“And that tells me nothing.”

“Well, um...” Daniel fidgeted for a moment. “Because you’re older.”

“Thanks for pointing it out. And?”

“And it was the mature partner who was in charge,” Daniel finished. A moment later, he added, “And you know what you’re doing.”

“Uh, huh.” Figuring out the logistics wasn’t hard, and it involved the removal of more clothes. Just the pants, though Jack wished he could see and enjoy every inch of Daniel’s skin. The denial drove home just how weird this was. “Well, let’s get started. Take off your pants.”

To his credit, Daniel obeyed. He bent down to unlace his boots, doing it slowly and methodically.

Jack watched for a moment, then frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Taking off my pants.”

“Why bother?” Jack said. “Just shove down your pants.”

“Um, no, I’d rather take off my pants.” For emphasis, Daniel let one boot topple to the floor, and started to unlace the other.

“What difference does it make?”

“Well, for one thing, it’ll make less of a mess,” Daniel told him and immediately blushed. “I mean, you know, when you...”

“Ah.” Jack realized he was saying that a lot.

“And wouldn’t it help if you were undressing, too?” That sounded a little too pointed.

“Right.” Jack really didn’t see the need to get technical, but since Daniel was putting effort into the endeavor, Jack felt he had to, too. He sighed, and undid his belt before walking over to the bed. The surface felt soft as he sat down, and he leaned down to get at his own boots. “This is the most fucked up thing we’ve ever done.”

“Really?” Daniel asked, half sarcasm and half acknowledgement.

“It happens.” There, boots were toed off and BDUs were shoved down. Jack put his hands on his thighs and glanced over at Daniel. In his fantasies, Jack imagined enthusiastic sex right away, but right now, there was nothing. Jack had never felt so turned off. “Oh, for crying out loud...”

“Yeah.” Daniel mirrored his position, fingers laced together. He wet his lower lip, looking at him. “So.”

“So.” Jack wondered if he could still draw strength from his favorite fantasies to get this done.

“So,” Daniel repeated. He reached up to remove his glasses, folding the arms before placing it somewhere out of harm’s reach. “We need to get started.”

“Yeah, about that.” Jack wasn’t sure what he wanted to suggest, but he didn’t have the chance to even voice an option. There were warm lips pressed against his, and a hand cupping his neck to keep him in place. “Mmpf...?”

The kiss was surprising and nice. Jack responded, moving so they had better contact. He put his arm around Daniel, bringing him closer as a slow thrill awoke within him. He had Daniel Jackson in his arms, and he was able to forget why it was so. Jack opened his mouth and let himself taste what he’d wanted for what felt like forever.

A moan escaped Daniel’s throat, and it vibrated through Jack like electricity. When he pulled back, Jack was gasping for breath and felt heat warming his body. He felt good, and for the first time he believed they could do this.

He realized his eyes were closed, and he opened them to see a flushed Daniel sitting next to him. Daniel’s mouth was open, not quite panting for breath but definitely short of it. As Jack watched, his tongue darted out again to moisten his lips, and the sight of it sent a twist of desire through him - so intense he felt his cock harden on the spot.

“Um...” Daniel smiled in a way Jack had never seen before. Jack dared to imagine Daniel was getting into this, too. “Can we go through with this?”

Jack glanced down at his lap and couldn’t help the grin twisting his lips. “You could say that.”

“Okay.” Without glancing at Jack’s lap, Daniel lay back on the bed and spread his legs. He watched Jack calmly with wide eyes. “Your turn.”

Jack stared at those legs - long, pale and strong below his soft cock - before looking back up at Daniel’s face. He offered a hesitant smile, because this was nice even if it wasn’t exactly what he wanted. He shoved the thought about how weird it was back into a corner of his mind before it ruined the moment. What Jack wanted to do was have full body contact with Daniel and be able to touch his cock - but that was crossing a boundary he couldn’t risk. He had to do what was safe.

“Turn on your front,” Jack said.

Daniel nodded, turning over and presenting the firm backside that Jack had admired for what felt like forever. Jack swallowed hard, staring at his ass for another long second as he wished yet again this was a completely different situation. But it wasn’t. The universe was unfair, so very, very unfair.

He had to go through with this. Did he need lube for this? It wasn’t the same as anal sex, but hell, there were leg hairs to contend with. Even if Daniel had the softest hairs in the world, that would still chaff without lube and that wasn’t something he wanted to explain to Fraiser when they got back. The sunscreen was next to him on the bed, and it took only a second to squirt a handful of lotion out. He coated himself with careful but strong strokes. The sunscreen was cool, making him wilt a bit, but as soon as he looked back at Daniel’s ass, he got hard again.

“Tell me if I hurt you,” Jack said as he knelt between Daniel’s legs. “I need to know so I can stop.”

“I will,” Daniel said, his face turned to the side and resting against his folded arms. There was a nervous look again - just for a moment - before he closed his eyes. The expression faded as Daniel took a deep breath.

“Okay.” Jack gently lay himself down over Daniel, arranging himself so he didn’t squish Daniel and so his cock lay between Daniel’s open thighs. Daniel’s body was warm and solid. The feel of it made Jack’s longing flare up again, but this time he didn’t ignore it. He kept it at bay, just long enough to arrange their bodies. He put a hand on Daniel’s right thigh to coax it against the left. A second later, there was a tight pressure on Jack’s cock and it felt incredible.

Jack thought he was going to explode right away. He gasped, feeling Daniel’s thighs squeezing him and his ass clenching with the effort. Jack ran his hands down Daniel’s sides, gasping as his hips began to move of their own will. He ran his hands down Daniel’s sides, trying to find the best way to have a grip without causing bruises. And as much as he wanted this moment to last and pretend this was something they both wanted, it wasn’t.

But it was still damned satisfying when he came. The orgasm curled and twisted within him, curling his toes and making him grunt as he jerked rhythmically against Daniel. He’d had better orgasms, but it wasn’t anything to sneeze at.

Rolling off to catch his breath, Jack closed his eyes and hoped it was enough. He felt a touch on his cheek, and then the gentle movement of something wiping off his front.

Jack opened his eyes to see Daniel sitting up, leaning a bit on his hip to get access to Jack’s groin. The gesture was touching, and Jack watched with a smile. His smile grew as he realized that there was a solid erection in Daniel’s lap, looking neglected against his thigh.

"Daniel." Jack said his name softly, drawing his attention. When Daniel looked at him, Jack couldn’t read his expression. That unsettled him, and he sat up to face him. "You okay?"

"I’m fine," Daniel said, meeting his gaze.

"Good." Jack couldn’t help looking at his hard-on, and an idea came to him. He didn’t even think about what passed his lips at this point, nor did he think he could have any control over it. He was usually like this after orgasm. "Need a hand?"

Daniel’s eyes widened in surprise, and he nodded silently.

Good enough. A real thrill shot through Jack’s gut this time. He couldn’t believe his luck, no matter how weird it was. He reached across and wrapped his hand around Daniel’s cock. He’d fantasized about this before, based on what he’d seen in SG-1’s locker rooms, and this wasn’t really what he expected. Daniel was wider than he’d imagined, and he kept gasping out breathy sounds that weren’t quite words but might have been in different circumstances. Jack guessed he was close when Daniel’s face scrunched up - eyes tight, mouth grimacing - and seemed to hover at the brink for several long seconds.

Jack couldn’t stand it. He leaned down and took Daniel in his mouth. The taste was tangy and hot, and before Jack had time to appreciate just what he was doing, Daniel came. This time he made noise, a surprised cry as his hips jerked forward into Jack’s mouth.

The next few minutes were awkward. Jack moved back reluctantly, sitting up and watching Daniel, whose eyes were still closed. Daniel sat there, his face flushed and slowly returning to his normal color as he took deep breaths. Neither said anything, even as Daniel opened his eyes and met Jack’s gaze.

"We should get going," Jack said a moment later, breaking their gaze and getting off the bed. He headed over to his clothes and started to pull them on. "Nessos is waiting for us."

"Right." Looking a little perplexed, Daniel shook his head and stood up. His legs looked a little unsteady, and Jack moved over to grasp his shoulder. "Um..."

"Later," Jack said. They had a mission to finish, and they didn’t have time to discuss this. Besides, it was just a buddy fuck, right?

"Uh, what about the debrief?" Daniel asked.

Jack glanced down at his bare legs despite himself. "Complex negotiations."

"That’s it?" Daniel frowned.

"Sure. Negotiations of a mutually beneficial kind." That said a lot and Jack couldn’t help the smile trying to get out. He was even rewarded with a snort from Daniel. "Don’t worry about it."

But still, Daniel didn’t look too sure. Nothing else was shared as they dressed, arranging themselves so they didn’t look like they’d just had sex. Jack glanced at Daniel before they stepped back into the main chamber, noticing things he probably would’ve ignored before - how Daniel’s hair looked more ruffled than usual, the deepened pink of his cheeks and lips, and the way his t-shirt looked unevenly tucked into the waist of his BDUs.

Jack imagined he probably looked about the same, and despite the sheer fucked up nature of the last half hour, he couldn’t help smiling as they left the bedroom.

The priestess was still on her throne, her eyes closed as they entered. The thick tendrils of smoke continued to drift through the room. She opened her eyes as they approached, and her solid gray gaze fixed on them.

"We’ve done what you asked," Daniel began.

 _"And you have passed our test,"_ she replied.

Jack blinked. "Test? What test? You just wanted us to do the dirty to get at the naquadah."

"What test are you referring to?" Daniel asked, and he looked pretty unnerved.

"Because you just said seed had to be spilled." Jack was determined to point out they were tricked. He felt like an ass.

 _"It is not enough to know you are foes of the Goa’uld, Jack O’Neill and Daniel Jackson,"_ the priestess continued. _"Your motivations are true, but are you capable of compassion? Of putting your humanity before your goals?"_

"And you figured this out through _sex_?" Jack asked.

"Because what we did was consensual," Daniel said, looking at him.

"Well, sort of." Jack grimaced. "We didn’t exactly have a choice with the sex, Daniel."

"No, but it must be how we did it," Daniel shot back. "What stopped you from ordering me to pull down my pants and fucking me just because?"

Jack blinked. "Because you would have punched me."

"Not if I were your subordinate... probably." Daniel glanced at the priestess. "It’s because he was considerate."

 _"Because you cared,"_ she agreed.

Jack felt like saying something about how obvious it was. What kind of commander would he be if he acted like an ass? But he decided to keep his mouth shut about that and ask something else. "So we passed."

The priestess held out her hand, palm up. Before Jack’s eyes, something materialized above her hand. It was a sphere the size of an apple, and the same color as the smoke. The object glistened in the light cast by the sconces and continued to hover above her hand. _"Return this to the village. They will understand its significance."_

She moved her hand toward them, and the sphere moved, drifting toward them. Jack caught it a moment later, his fingers closing around its cool surface. He stared at it, wondering how the hell it could be cold if the room was so warm.

 _"We will meet again,"_ the priestess promised. _"Now leave, with our blessing."_

The tendrils of smoke began to dissipate immediately, and it seemed to Jack like it was dropping to the ground like dust. The priestess dropped her hand into her lap, and her head fell forward.

"Thank you!" Jack called.

Daniel said something in the local language, sounding like a thanks of his own. The priestess didn’t stir, and by the rhythmic movement of her chest, she seemed to be asleep.

"Let’s go," Daniel said after a long moment.

**

The rest of the mission went so smoothly, Jack could almost forget what he and Daniel had done. The descent from the mountain was easier than he expected, and neither Teal’c nor Carter had noticed that something had happened. They’d barely noticed their absence. The village elders were happy to see the gray sphere Jack showed them, and without any further fuss, the treaty was signed.

The villagers were happy. Hammond was thrilled with the results of their negotiations, and Carter, along with every single scientist at the SGC, was anxiously looking forward to the chance to play with the expected shipments of naquadah.

And no one ever asked what had happened in the mountain shrine. Jack had summarized the experience by saying they’d met the priestess and done a ritual like she’d asked, but that was it.

That was, until he found himself at the front entrance of Daniel’s apartment building later that night with a six-pack of beer in his hand. After the briefing, Daniel had been scarce, and when Jack had a chance to look for him, his friend had already signed out of the mountain.

"It’s me," he said when his buzz was answered. There wasn’t a vocal response for a moment, and he was almost ready to walk away when the door unlocked.

Jack met no one in the hallways, and the elevator went right up to Daniel’s floor. The door was slightly ajar, and Jack rapped lightly with his free hand before stepping in.

"Daniel?" he called.

"In the kitchen," Daniel said. There was a rattle of glasses in that direction, and Jack found him taking two glasses out of his cupboard and rinsing them with cold water. "So, it’s later now?"

"Um..." Jack hadn’t expected on talking about it right away, and he felt slightly off-centered. "I guess."

"Okay." Silent for a few moments as he set the glasses on the counter, Daniel went to take the beer from Jack’s hand to deposit the case in the fridge. He took out two others, the exact same brand, and opened one. He offered it to Jack. "Talk."

Jack blinked. "Um..."

That was awkward. Jack didn’t have words yet, and he focused on pouring. He heard Daniel doing the same, and they lingered near the bar for several long, awkward moments.

Finally, Daniel let out a sigh. "Fine. Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Sort of..." Jack squirmed and hesitated by taking a sip of his beer.

"There was more than just necessity in what we were doing in that room." Daniel wasn’t asking a question, and he was staring a little too intently for Jack’s comfort.

"If I overstepped any boundaries, then I’m sorry," Jack said, and he meant it. "I got caught up and just... did it."

"Because?"

Jack sighed, knowing Daniel wasn’t going to cut him any slack. "Because, if I can say this without sounding like a goddamned teenager, I like you."

"You like me," Daniel repeated, and Jack wasn’t sure if he was understanding or just trying to comprehend.

"As in, more than a friend."

"Oh!" Daniel mused on that for a moment. "I had no idea."

"You weren’t supposed to know."

"And you know that I’m -"

"Straight?" Jack nodded. "You said so. I remember."

"And if it hadn’t been for the treaty, you never would have acted on it?"

"Nope." Jack made a face. "Can we change the topic already? I don’t expect anything. I’m not going to jump your bones when we’re alone on a mission. If you want, transfer to another team. Hell, I’ll sign it for you. No hard feelings, okay?"

Daniel nodded. "No hard feelings."

"As long as we remain friends," Jack said.

"Of course," Daniel said, but from the expression on his face, he wasn’t entirely sure. "But Jack?"

"Daniel?" Jack took a long drink of his beer, wondering what his friend was thinking.

"I liked what we did together."

"Oh." That wasn’t what he expected.

"And I appreciated that you were careful," Daniel continued, and he was finding his beer strangely interesting.

"Where are you going with this, Daniel?" Jack let out a sigh, and set down his beer. "This is weird enough as it is."

"What I want to say is, well... I wouldn’t be adverse to us together again," Daniel summarized awkwardly.

"Don’t do me any favors," Jack said, and he refused to consider what Daniel was saying. "I’m not desperate."

"That’s not what I’m saying," Daniel said, and Jack could tell he was trying to keep his voice level. He finally looked up and met Jack’s gaze. "I kissed you first."

"Yes, Daniel, you did."

"And that means that I’m open-minded."

"And you’re straight."

"Well, maybe I wasn’t as certain as I thought I might be," Daniel said with a wry smile. "Maybe sarcastic, gray-haired military types are my type."

Jack wanted to believe, but he wasn’t sure. "What _exactly_ are you saying?"

"I’m saying that I want to try this out," Daniel said, "because I liked what we did together, and it just so happens that I’d like to see where we go with this together."

"Seriously?" Jack asked.

Daniel let out a soft laugh. "You’re looking like I just told you the world is flat."

"And you’re not pulling my leg?"

"Well..." Daniel smiled and then he smiled that flirty smile Jack recalled seeing directed at other people. "That’s not quite the part of you I’d be interested in pulling."

"Oh." Jack finally let himself smile and lifted his glass, toasting Daniel’s. "I wonder if the priestess knew she was blessing this, too."

"You never know," Daniel said and as he sipped his beer, he moved closer to Jack and nudged him with his hip. "You just never know."

*fin*


End file.
